Container handling apparatus



Dec; 15, 1942.

H. E. GANT ZER CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 17, 1941 INVENTOR $70471 6277 if? v 5 ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1942. H. EGANTZER 2,304,905

CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR ]15wara,l76m7er W AQ ATTORNEY I Patented Dec. 15 1942 CONTAINERHANDLING APPARATUS Howard E. Gantzer, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor toConsolidated Packaging Machinery Corporation, Bufialo, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application April 17, 1941, Serial No. 388,94712' Claims. (01. 198-34) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in feeding mechanisms and particularly seeks to provide anovel timing wheel usable in conjunction with the feed-in conveyer of acontainer capping machine or the like.

Normally, capping machines include a rotary turret provided with aplurality of capping chucks which are adapted to apply caps tocontainers presented thereto in properly timed relation. In efiectingthe feed of the containers to the chucks of the rotary turret, it isknown to employ devices associated with the main feed-in conveyer whichare effective to cause the formation of a solid line of containersbehind such timing devices and to permit each successively presentedleading container of the solid line of containers to be moved intoengagement with a capping chuck. It is obvious that these timing devicesmust be operated in perfect synchronization with the rotation of thecapping turret in order that containers may be properly registeredtherewith, and that the timing devices, in order to effect the formationof a solid line of containers therebehind, must also be operated at aneifective linear speed somewhat less than the linear speed of thefeed-in conveyer. Thus the operative speeds of the turret, feed-inconveyer, and timing device are definitely correlated.

Prior known forms of timing devices which have been designed to performthis function include the ordinary star wheel which normally comprisesmerely a rotatable disk provided with a plurality of radially disposedpockets, each of which is so shaped and sized as to closely embrace acontainer which is to be projected into engagement with the cappingelements. This solid type of star wheel has proven to be unsatisfactoryfor use in conjunction with certain types of containers for severalreasons. One reason for dissatisfaction with solid star wheels hasresulted from the observation that whenever a container capping machineemploys a solid star wheel designed for use with only a single size ofcontainer, the installed star wheel must be removed and another one ofthe proper size must be substituted therefor in order to accommodatecontainers having different dimensions from those for which the machinewas originally set up. Obviously, this entails a loss of time in theoperation of the machine and in shifting from one size of container toanother. Further, since even containers which are supposed to be of auniform size do present dimensional variations Within limits oftolerance, it is necessary that the pocket size of the solid type starwheel be sufficiently increased to accommodate such variations indimensions. In such cases where the pockets are made oversized in thismatter, the containers obviously do not fit snugly therein andthere isan increasing tendency towards unnecessary noise.

A container feed timing device constructed in accordance with thisinvention overcomes the difiiculties heretofore presented in connectionwith the use of certain prior known forms of timing devices.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a timing wheelfor use in conjunction with the main feed conveyer of a containercapping machine or the like which is capable of effectively controllingthe feed of containers having a relatively wide range of dimensionalvariations.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of thecharacter stated which is self-adjustingto conform to the container dimension which is parallel to the axis of the main conveyer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterstated which includes a plurality of generally radially disposed fingerspivotally supported at their inner ends upon a rotary disk, eachadjacent pair of fingers being relatively movable by engagement with acontainer to thereby define a container receiving recess adapted toeffect the feed control of the container from the timing device to thecapping elements of the associated mechanisms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterstated in which the relative movement between each pair of adjacentlydisposed fingers permits variations in the defined limits of thecontainer receiving recesses to thereby render the timing deviceeffective without change for use in connection with containers ofdifferent sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a timing device ofthecharacter stated in which means are provided for positively varying thenormal distance between each pair of adjacently disposed fingers Whilestill permitting relative movement therebetween in order to accommodatedimensionally variable containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterstated which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economicalto manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will becomemore apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by referenceto the drawings, the accompanying detailed description, and the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat fragmentary elevational view of a container cappingmachine with which a timing device constructed in accordance with thisinvention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the timing wheel and illustrates thepositions of one pair of container engaging fingers while they areengaged Fig. 5 is a top plan view .of a modified form.

of timing wheel constructed in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to that shown in Fig. 5 but showinga differently adjusted position of the fingers.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention as illustrated isembodied in a container capping machine including a main supportingframe A, a rotary capping assembly generally indicated at B,intermediate transfer means 0, and a main or feed-in conveyer D adaptedto move and support a line of containers E.

The timing devices which are constructed in accordance with this"invention are associated with the feed-in conveyer D and positionedslightly ahead of the intermediate transfer or container presentingdevices (2. These timing devices include a mounting bracket 5 extendedforwardly from beneath the conveyer-D. The forwardly projecting end ofthe bracket 5 is provided with a boss 6 adapted to rotatably support avertically extending shaft 7. The lower end of the shaft 1 isopera-tively connected with the intermediate container presentingdevices C through the medium of chain and gear connections generallyindicated at 8. A forwardly extending bracket 9 is secured to the frontface of the conveyer D and includes a sleeve portion I adapted toreceive the upper end of the shaft 1. A two-part mounting bracket isadapted to rotatably support'the timing wheel and includes anupper'portion ll pivotally carried by the upper end of the shaft l and alower portion l2 pivotally carried by the shaft l and dis-posed beneaththe sleeve Ill of the bracket 9. The lower bracket portion I2 isprevented from sliding downwardly along the shaft 1 by a pinion gear [3which is rigidly afiixed to the-shaft. The pinion i3 is disposed inmeshing engagement with a spur gear [4 carried by the lower end of avertically extending shaft [5 which extends upwardly through the upperand lower portions H and i2 comprising the timing wheel mountingbracket. An arbor I6 is keyed to the upper projecting end of the shaftiii. A timing wheel or disk ll having an upwardly extending hub I8 isrigidly supported on the arbor i6 and is provided with a plurality- 0fradially disposed fingers l9 pivotally connected to the disk as byupstanding studs 26. A plurality of abutment studs 2| are disposedadjacent the periphery of the disk I! and are associated with therespective fingers l9 and serve to limit the pivotal movement that thefingers may be permitted'to partake. Each finger I9 is provided with ashor-t upstanding post 22- adapted to receive one end of a tensionspring 23, the other end. of which is connected to the pivot stud Efiofthe next adjacent finger Hi to thereby constantly urge the fingerstowards contact with the abutment studs 2 I. V

The upper bracket portion H is provided with a depending lug 2 3. Atensionspring 25 extends between the outer end of the lug 2t and theadjacent portion. of the guide wall of the conveyer D and tends toconstantly pivot the timing disk I! and its associated mechanism towardsthe conveyer about the shaft 1 as a center. An adjusting screw 26 isprovided for limiting and regulating the closeness of the timing diskrelative to the adjacent portion of the conveyer.

In operation, the timing wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction asviewed in Figs. 2 and 3 and at a speed which is perfectly synchronizedwith the rotative speed of the intermediate container presentingmechanism C as well as the speed of the capping assembly B. In orderthat the timing wheel may function in the manner desired, it isnecessary that the feed-in conveyer D be moved from left to right asviewed in Figs. 2 and 3 and at a linear speed somewhat in excess of theeffective linear speed of the timing wheel. Thus, as the conveyeradvances a series of containers E towards engagement with a finger IQ ofthe timing wheel, the leading face of the first presented container willengage the trailing face of the finger 19. It is obvious that since theeffective speed of movement of the finger 19 is less than the linearspeed of the conveyer, the container will constantly press against thefinger and will be retarded thereby. As rotative movement of the timingwheel continues, the next following finger 19 will engage the adjacentface of the container in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 and will bedisplaced in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot stud 20 asillustrated in Fig. 2. As this second finger I'9- approaches thetrailing face or trailing corner of the container, the tapered noseportion of the finger will become engaged with the corner of the nextfollowing container. At this time, the finger l9 which has engaged theleading face of the first container will have been displaced out ofengagement therewith and consequently, the retarded action thereby willhave ceased and the conveyer D will move the container more rapidly andeffect the desired spacing between that container and the nextsucceeding container. As the spaced container is thus moved more rapidlyby the conveyer D, the following finger i9 which has engaged thesucceeding container will be permitted to move in a clockwise directionabout its pivot stud 20 until it abuts its associated abutment stud 2|and the. container controlling operations then continue in the mannerdescribed in connection with the first mentioned container.

It is obvious that a timing device constructed in accordance with thisinvention is not confined to uses in connection with the controlling offeed movements of rectangularly cross-sectioned con tainers but maybeemployed with equal facility in connection with containers having oval,round or other non-rectangular. cross-sectional shapes.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing there is illustrated a modified form ofthe invention in which a disk 2'! is keyed to the vertical shaft l5through the medium of an upstanding sleeve hub 28. The disk 21 isprovided with a plurality of upstanding abutment studs 29 disposedadjacent its periphery. A disk 39 of lesser diameter than the disk 21 issuperposed on thedisk 21 andis adjustably maintained in fixed positionrelative thereto through the medium of an'upstanding sleeve hub 3!concentrically disposed with respect to the hub 28 and 'releasablysecured thereto as by a set screw 32. A plurality of radially extendingfingers 33 is disposed between each pair of abutment studs 29 and. havetheir inner ends .pivotally secured to the disk 30 asbypivot studs 35.The inner end of each finger 33 may be undercut anamount equal to thethickness to the disk 30 in order that the central portions of thefingers may rest upon the surface of the lower disk 21.

The operation of this modified form of timing device is identical withthat described in connection with the form illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4,inclusive. However, when it is found desirable to adjust the spacingbetween the projecting ends of each adjacent pair of fingers 33 and toretract them so that they will not project as far into the path of theconveyer D,,the set screw 32 may be released and th disk 30 may berotated relative to th disk 21 to thereby shift the positions of thepivot studs 34 relative to the abutment studs 29 as shown in Fig. 6 ofthe drawings. Thus, by rotating the disk 30 relative to the disk 27, thedesired overall adjustment of the fingers 33 may be easily effected.However, even in the adjusted position the fingers 33 are free to pivotabout the studs 34 within the angular limits defined by each pair ofabutment studs 29 and the timing device as a whole will be able tofunction in the manner above described. While for the purposes ofillustration the modification shown in Figs. and 6 does not include thesprings for biasing the fingers 33 against the respective abutmentstuds, it is obvious that the springs may be employed if it isdesirable.

Thus, it will be seen that the herein described invention provides anovel timing wheel for use in connection with the feed-in conveyer ofcontainer capping machines or the like which is effective to cause theproper spacing of a line of containers prior to engagement thereof withthe operative elements of the associated machine; which isself-adjusting to conform to the container dimension which is parallelto the axis of the main conveyer; which may be employed in connectionwith containers of different sizes without the necessity for anystructural change; in which means are provided for positively varyingthe normal distance between and radial projection of each pair ofadjacently disposed fingers while still permitting relative movementtherebetween; and which is simple in design, rugged in construction andeconomical to manufacture.

It is of course to be understood that certain details of arrangement andproportions of parts may be variously modified without exceeding thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a pluralityof freely movable horizontally disposed radially extending fingersprojectable into the path of said containers and pivotally connected attheir inner ends to said timing wheel, means for limiting the pivotalmovementof said fingers with respect to said timing wheel, and means forrotating said timing wheel so that the eifective peripheral speed ofsaid fingers is less than the linear speed of said advancing meanswhereby to cause said containersto form a solid line and to permit theadvancement of each successively presented leading container in saidsolid line-while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bringsaid successively advancedleading containers into predetermined spacedrelationship.

2. Container I handling apparatus comprising means for advancing aseries of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having aplurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingersprojectable into the path of said containers and being supported on andpivotally connected at their inner ends to said timing wheel, deviceslocated on each side of each finger for limiting the pivotal movementthereof with respect to said timing wheel, means for biasing each saidfinger against one of said movement limiting devices, and means forrotating said timing wheel so that the effective peripheral speed ofsaid fingers is less than the speed of advance of said advancing meanswhereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the pathof said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line ofcontainers and to permit the advancement of ach successively presentedleading container in said solid line while retarding th remainingcontainers to thereby bring said successively advanced leadingcontainers into predetermined spaced relationship.

3. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a pluralityof radially extending fingers projectable into the path of saidcontainers and pivotally connected at their inner ends to said timingwheel, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting thepivotal movement thereof with respect to said timing wheel, means forrelatively adjusting the pivots of said fingers and said movementlimiting devices for varying the normal spacing between adjacentfingers, and means for rotating said timing wheel so that the eifectiveperipheral speed of said fingers is less than the Speed of advance ofsaid advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successivelyprojected into the path of said containers to thereby effect theformation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement ofeach successively presented leading container in said solid line whileretarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said successivelyadvanced leading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

4. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a pluralityof radially extending fingers projectable into the path of saidcontainers and pivotally connected at their inner ends to said timingwheel, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting thepivotal movement thereof with v respect to said timing wheel, means forbiasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices,means for relatively adjusting the pivots of said fingers and saidmovement limiting devices for varying the normal spacing betweenadjacent fingers, and means for rotating said timing wheelso that theeffective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the speed ofadvance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to besuccessively projected into the path of said containers to therebyeffect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit theadvancement of each successively presented leading container in saidsolid line while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bringsaid successively advanced leading con tainers into predetermined spacedrelationship.

5. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably mountedthereon and projectable into the path of said containers, adjacentfingers being relatively movable by engagement with a container toautomatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of saidcontainer, and

means :for rotating said timing wheel so that the effective peripheralspeed of said fingers less than the speed of advance of said advancingmeans whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected intothe path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solidline of containers and to permit the advancement of each successivelypresented leading c'ontainer in said solid line to thereby bring saidsuccessively advanced leading containers into predetermined spacedrelationship.

6. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably supportedthereon and p-rojectable into the path of said containers, adjacentfingers being relatively movable by engagement with a container toautomatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of saidcontainer, means located on each side of each finger for limiting therelative movement therebetween, and means for rotating said timing wheelso that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than thespeed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingersto be successively projected into the path of said containers to therebyeffect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit theadvancement of each successively presented leading container in saidsolid line to thereby bring said successively advanced leading containerinto predetermined spaced relationship.

7. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing Wheel having a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably mountedthereon and ,projectable into the path of said containers, ad-

jacent fingers being relatively movable by engagement with a containerto automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of saidcontainer, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting therelative movement therebetween, means for biasing each said fingeragainst one of said movement limiting devices to thereby assure theuniform projection of said fingers into the path of said containers, andmeans for rotating said timing wheel so that the efiective peripheralspeed of said fingers is less than the speed of advance of saidadvancing means whereby to causesaid fingers to be successivelyprojected into the path of said containers to thereby effect theformation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement ofeach successively presented leading container in said solid line tothereby bring said successively advanced leading containers intopredetermined spaced relationship.

8. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a seriesof containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a pluralityof radially extending fingers movably mounted thereon and projectableinto the path of said containers, adjacent fingers being relativelymovable by'engagement with a container to automatically conform thespacing therebetween to the span of said containers, devices located oneach side of each finger for limiting the relative movementtherebetween, means for biasing each said finger against one of saidmovement limiting devices to thereby assure the uniform projection ofsaid fingers into the path of said containers, means for varying thenormal spacing between said angers while still permitting relativemovement tnerebaween to thereby adapt said timing wheel for use withadi-fie'rent range of container sizes, and means for -rotating saidtiming wheel so that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers isless than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to causesaid fingers to be successively projected into the path of saidcontainers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containersand to permit the advancement of each successively presented leadingcontainer in said solid line to thereby bring said successively advancedleading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

9. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection withcontainer handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably supportedthereon, adjacent fingers being capable of relative movement uponengagement with a container to automatically conform the spacingtherebetween to the span of such container, and devices carried by saidwheel on each side of each said finger for limiting the relativemovement therebetween.

10. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection withcontainer handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers carried thereby andpivotally connected thereto at their inner ends, adjacent fingers beingcapable of relative movement upon engagement with a container toautomatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of suchcontainer, and devices carried by said wheel on each side of each saidfinger for limiting the relative movement the'rebe'tween.

11. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection withcontainer handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers carried thereby andpivotally connected thereto at their inner ends, adjacent fingers beingcapable of relative movement upon engagement with a container toautomatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of suchcontainer, devices carried by said wheel on each side of each saidfinger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, and means forbiasing each said fingers against one of said movement limiting devices.

12. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection withcontainer handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a pluralityof horizontally disposed radially extending fingers carried thereby andpivotally connected thereto at their inner ends, adjacent fingers beingcapable of relative movement upon engagement with a container toautomatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of suchcontainer, devices carried by said wheel on each side of each saidfinger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, means forbiasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices,and means for relatively adjusting the pivots of said fingers and saidmovement limiting devices for varying the normal spacing between eachpair of fingers.

HOWARD E. GANTZER.

